Pittsburgh, Pa. / Island Sports Center - The Robert Morris University men's hockey team let a 4-1 second period lead slip away in a 7-5 loss to Niagara University in College Hockey America action at the RMU Island Sports Center Saturday night. The Colonials, 2-4-0 overall and 1-1 in the CHA, scored four straight goals after falling behind 1-0, but allowed the Purple Eagles (4-5-1, 2-1-1 CHA) to score six of the last seven markers of the game.
The two teams played evenly throughout as both registered 42 shots on net. Both took advantage of their power play opportunities with RMU going 3-8 and Niagara connecting on 2-5. Nine different players tallied multi-point games, including four for the Colonials and five for the visiting Purple Eagles. Niagara's Sean Bentivoglio led all players with four assists.
Niagara took early control of the game on a Les Reaney goal just 70 seconds into regulation on assists from Bentivoglio and Kyle Rogers.
From there, however, the next 20 minutes would belong to the host Colonials. Junior defenseman Jeff Gilbert (Barrie, Ontario / Aurora Tigers) tied the game with a power play goal at 8:14 as he buried a free puck that slid through to the high slot. Sophomore Chris Margott (Thousand Oaks, Calif. / Bay State Breakers), who had a goal and two assists, gave RMU a 2-1 lead with their second power play marker. He finished off a tic-tac-toe play by junior Sean Berkstresser (Apollo, Pa. / Pittsburgh Forge) and junior Jake Sparks (Evergreen, Colo. / Central Texas Blackhawks) at 13:04.
The Colonials first period rally continued with a goal by sophomore Jason Towsley (Lasalle, Ontario / Leamington Flyers) at 18:31. Junior Tom Biondich (International Falls, Minn. /Wichita Falls Rustlers) won a faceoff back to Towsley who ripped a slapshot inside the near post over Niagara starter Juliano Pagliero's shoulder.
Allen Barton came out to start the second period in goal for Niagara and things looked bleak for the back-up just 37 seconds into the middle fram. Gilbert notched his second power play marker of the night with help from Margott and senior Doug Conley's (East Amherst, N.Y. / Tri-City Storm) first of two assists.
However, Niagara would make a second period comeback. Ted Cook cut the lead to 4-2 at 7:14 and just 60 seconds later, Vince Rocco made it a one-goal game. Reaney and Bentivoglio had the assists on Cook's goal and Nate Bostic and Egor Mironov provided the help for Rocco.
The Purple Eagles tied the game at 10:54 as Bostic scored on assists from Matt Carauana and Chris Moran. Senior Aaron Clarke (Peterborough, Ontario / Niagara University) stopped the Niagara run and gave the Colonials the lead heading into the third period. He scored at 16:09 on assist by Conley and junior Ryan Cruthers (Farmingdale, N.Y. / Army).
Niagara would do all the scoring in the third period. Reaney hooked up with Cook and Bentivoglio to tied the game at 4:31. Cook's power-play goal at 9:06 on assists from Rocco and Pat Oliveto proved to be the gamewinning score. Rogers tacked on the insurance goal as time ran out, a power-play empty net score, with Bentivoglio picking up his fourth assist on the marker.
Junior goaltender Christian Boucher (Orleans, Ontario / Cumberland Grads) made 35 saves while taking the loss. Barton earned the win with 27 saves over the final two periods while allowing two goals. Pagliero allowed three goals while making 10 saves in the first period.
Robert Morris continues play in the CHA traveling to Bemidji State November 11-12 for a pair of conference games.
